Port-au-Prince, Haiti – Supporters of Haitian presidential candidate Rene Preval erected smoldering roadblocks across the capital and occupied a luxury hotel Monday. At least one protester was killed, but U.N. peacekeepers denied witness accounts that they had shot him.
As Port-au-Prince descended into chaos, Preval returned to the capital for the first time since the Feb. 7 election. He was the clear winner with about 90 percent of the votes counted, but supporters claimed electoral officials were tampering with results to prevent him from getting the majority he needs to avoid a runoff.
Barricades made of old tires were ablaze across the capital, sending plumes of foul-smelling black smoke into the sky. Protesters let only journalists and Red Cross vehicles pass.
“If they don’t give us the final results, we’re going to burn this country down!” a protester screamed.
The election will replace an interim government installed after former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide was ousted in a bloody rebellion two years ago. A popularly elected government with a clear mandate from the voters is seen as crucial to avoiding a political and economic meltdown in the Western Hemisphere’s poorest nation.
Near anarchy has sent gangs on kidnapping sprees while factories have closed for lack of security.
Preval arrived in the capital aboard a U.N. helicopter from his rural home in north Haiti.
“We have questions about the electoral process,” he said after meeting with the top U.N. official in Haiti and ambassadors from the United States, France, Canada and Brazil. “We want to see how we can save the process.” Preval also planned to meet with the interim prime minister and president.
Interim Prime Minister Gerard Latortue appealed for calm in a nationally broadcast address. “People, don’t stay in the streets,” he said. “I’m asking you to go home. … The transitional government is not stealing your vote.”
In the middle-class Tabarre neighborhood, Associated Press journalists saw the body of a man on a street, blood soaking Preval’s image emblazoned on his T-shirt. Dozens of witnesses said Jordanian U.N. peacekeepers in a jeep opened fire, killing two people and wounding four. The body of the second victim was not seen.
“We were peacefully protesting when the U.N. started shooting. There were a lot of shots. Everybody ran,” said Walrick Michel, 22.
